Fire-extinguishing apparatus



Dec. 7 1926.

. 1,609,995 J. ENGELHARDT FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS l VENTOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 14

ATTORNEY 1,609,995 J. ENGELHARDT FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS Dec. 7 1926.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 14 1925 ATTORNEY Dec. 7 1926.

J. ENGELHARDT FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR J/lcos f/vaa/m/ror Filed Feb. 14,

l hl l ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 7, 1926.

UNITED ,STA

JACOB ENGELHARDT, or NEW ironic, N. Y. K

FIRE-EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

Application filed February 14, 1925. Serial No. 9,080.

This invention relates to means whereby carbonic acid gas or the hkefunder pressure,

may be employed for extinguishing fires,

i 1 release means for self-closing doors and cartains actuable by the gas release operating means, to permit the automatic closing operation of said doors and curtains.

Other features and advantages of my invention will hereinafter appear.-

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an interior view of,a room or building, looking toward one wall thereof, as equipped with my improved fire extinguishing means.

Fig. 2 is a section on the, line, 2 2 of Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation of my improved gas distributory delivery device.

Fig. 4 is a Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a face view of an outwardly opening self-closing door, showing the release means therefor, and

Fig. 6 is a diagram of the switch circuits.

In the example of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein I have shown the interior of a building or a room having the walls 1, roof or ceiling 2, window openings 3. 4 and door-ways 5, 6, let 7 indicate a gas distributing device, and 8 a pipe leading thereto from a suitable source of supply, (not shown). I have not herein shown the supply source of carbonic acid gas, it being understood that the gas is consection on the line 44 of v tained under pres ure in a suitable container or containers, located wherever installat on is most convenient, and the supplv of the gas through the pipe 8 is controlled by a valve 9. It must also be understood that in a building having a number of room each provided with one or more of the distributing devices, each supply pipe 8 may be provided with a valve 9.

The valve 9 is shown as provided w th a controlling arm 10, that carries a weight 11. and is adapted to swing vertically to open and close thevalve. With said. arm 10 in the horizontal position shown in Fig. 2 the valve is closed. Normally this horizontal position is maintained by engaging means, such as a bolt 12, operable in guides 13, and lying beneath the weight, to support it. But when-said bolt is withdrawn, as by the means hereinafter described, then the weight, being released, will fall and thereby cause the valve to open.

As will presently appear, means are provided whereby the valve is caused to open as the result of a rise in temperature within the building or room equipped with my device, and then carbonic acid gas flows under pressure to the distributing device 7, which latter is caused to rotate by the pressure of the entering gas, thereby dispersing the gas lpy throwing it rapidly in all radial direc- 1ons.

Said device 7 comprises the fixed shell portion 14 and the revoluble shell portion 15, in interfitting relation to constitute a receptacle. In the example shown the portion 14 is secured, inverted, to the ceiling 2, and has I to complete the assembly, leaving the portion 15 free to rotate.

The arrangement of the vanes 19 is such that gas entering the device tangentially within portion 14 will strike against said vanes. and since the vanes with the sleeve 18 form a part of the portion 14, rotation of the latter results. Extending radially from the wall of portion 14 are gas eillux pipes 15 which are downwardly inclined and serve. bv centrifugal action. to throw the as inall radial directions at the high speed of rotation to which portion 15 is subjected by the entering gas pressure.

As retracting means for the bolt 12, to release weighted arm 10, thereby causing valve 9 to open. I provide a lever 23. pivoted at 24 to a support 25. one arm of said lever lying in the path of a weight 26 that is normally held in an elevated position by an electro-magnet 27 and, when the magnet is de-energized, is adapted to fall, to thereby magnet will be de-energized and consequentrock the lever. A flexible connector 29, passed over pulleys 30, 31, connects the other arm of the lever with the bolt 12. and oper ates to retract the bolt when the lever is rocked'by the weight falling thereon.

The electro-magnet has two windings, one of these windings being included in a circuit of fusible wire 32 which is strung about the Walls and ceiling of the building or room and adapted to melt under the influence of a rise in temperature as by the breaking out of a fire, thereby opening the circuit. If at such times the other circuit 33 is open the ly weight 26 will drop.

The wiring includes a single point switch 34 adapted to co-act with the contacts I, II and III, a four oint throw switch 35, a cut-out device 36, attery or other source of electrical energy 37, and a bell 38.

The wiring is so arranged that when switch 34 is on contact I the circuit 33 will be open at cut-out 36. Consequently upon the fusing of circuit wire 32, magnet 27 will release weight 26, and the bell 28 will ring because the bell circuit closes at cut-out device 36 when circuit 32 is broken. If however the switch 34 is placed on contact II, thereby circuit 33 is closed and energizes the magnet so that the weight will be held thereby when the fusible circuit is broken. Hence .the alarm only is given with this setting of switch 34, which is that desirable for daytime or when the room equipped with my improvements is occupied. An occupant of such room, realizing that a fire has started, may then place the switch 34' on contact III, thereby causing circuit 33 to open through device 36, whereupon magnet 27 is de-energized and the weight 26 will drop.

The switch 34 should be located near to or just outside an exit from the room so that the operator may leave the room when or before placing the switch.

Since my invention includes means, controlled by the falling of the weight, to permit self-closing doors and window curtains to close, it is desirable that said switch 34 should be outside the room, so that a person in the room may leave it before operating the switch.

Obviously the signal circuit may be carried beyond the building to a distant point to communicate the alarm.

In Fig. 1, I have shown the window openings 3, 4, each provided with a drop curtain 39 which may be of fire proof material, weighted at 40 and wound upon a roller 41,

which latter is provided with an end hook 42 that is normally engaged by a bolt 43, operable in guide 44,'to normally hold the curtain wound on its roller. Upon retraced by the rocking action of lever 23, and

other cords 47 branching from cord 45, are passed over pulleys 48, to respectively engage the bolts 43, for their retraction.

Also in Fig. 1 I have shown an inwardly opening door 49, provided with a spring device 50 which urges it from the open to the closed position. Said door is normally held open by a bolt 51, slidable in guides 52, said bolt being engaged by the cord 45, to be retracted when said cord is pulled upon as previously described.

A fireproof, weighted curtain 53, wound on a roller 54 is mounted above the doorway, and is adapted to descend when the door is closed, to protect the latter. Extended from the roller 54 is a hook 55, normally engaged by a vertical bolt 56, wh ch is held in its operative position by a spring 57 a cord 58 connecting said bolt with the floor. Door 49 is provided with an extended lug 59 that strikes the cord 58 as the door closes, thereby withdrawing bolt 56 to release hook 55, so that the curtain may be ceive a bolt 63, to hold said door normally open. A branch cord 64, passing over pulley 65, is extended from cord 45 and engages bolt 63, serving to withdraw said bolt for I releasing the door.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the effect of the weight 26 falling upon and rocking the lever 23 is to cause carbonic acid gas to be violently whirled and thrown from device 7 in all radial directions, and simultaneously to release the spring held open doors' and the latched curtains, which thereby automatically'close the respective openings and protect the parts they are intended to cover.

Also it will be appreciated that the switch may be set so that an alarm only will be given when a fire occurs, a manual operation of the switch then being necessary to cause the application of the gas and the closing operations aforesaid. Or, the switch may be so set that all the operations will be performed automatically when the rise in temperature melts the fusible circuit wire.

My experiments conducted for a number of years, have proven carbonic acid gas to by said magnet, a pivoted lever operable by said Weight when released, a retractible member normally restralmng said counterweighted mechanism against action, flexible means connecting said lever and retractible member and adapted to withdraw sa1d member from engagement with said mechanism on actuation of said leverto permit opening of said valve wherebyto establish communication between said conduit and said distributing device, means for closing said doors and covering said windows, and release means connecting said lever with said door and window closing means operable simultaneously with the establishment of communication between said conduit and said distributing de vice.

Executed this 10th day of February, 1925.

JACOB ENGELHARDT. 

